Mayor Margo G. Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. In attendance were Councilmembers Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr., Thomas A. Gross, Sr. and Mabel Mumford-Pautz, W. S. Ingersoll, Town Manager, Joan Merryman, Stenographer, and guests.
Mayor Bailey asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes of the previous meeting. Mr. Bristoll moved that the minutes of the meeting of May 19, 1997 be accepted as presented, was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.
Mayor Bailey announced that the Utilities Commission has cash on hand and in banks on June 16, 1997 of $293,085.16.
Mayor Bailey stated Mr. Capel was away on vacation. Mayor Bailey said the Town had requested information from the Maryland Department of the Environment on our sewer capacity. She said we received a response from MDE dated May 30, 1997 and asked Mr. Ingersoll to discuss the letter. Mr. Ingersoll said the question was raised about our design capacity vs. the present permitted gallons per day. Our current permit allows up to 900,000 gallons of effluent a day. The letter from MDE states that our flow rate of 900,000 would be frozen due to the fact that in the past three years we have had one high count of BODs (suspended solids--biological oxygen demand) during the month of April. The rest of the year the BOD count runs at acceptable levels. MDE calls the phenomenon "turnover" when the temperature changes in the lagoon and the 12 to 14" of sludge on the bottom tends to float up. Because of that phenomenon, even though our design capacity might be higher (1,500,000 gallons), our discharge license would be limited to 900,000 a day. Our discharge rate now averages about 700,000 a day. One way to cure this, so that we could apply for a higher amount on our discharge license, would be to take the sludge out of the bottom of the lagoon. The sludge right now is not bothering anything. He said if the Town were approached by anyone who wants to expand our licensed amount of discharge towards the design amount, the Town or the developer would have to spend the money it would take to remove the sludge from the bottom of the lagoon. He said we do not have to do that otherwise.
Mr. Ingersoll said the BOD levels were much higher before we installed the aeration system in 1993. We had hoped that aeration would ultimately raise our total amount of discharge but aeration has not done the whole job. He said we do have enough capacity in our present license to build out what was currently within the Town limits. He said this answers the question about any short or long term development.
Mayor Bailey said the next item on the agenda was a letter from Jim Wright, Engineer for the Kent County Commissioners. Mr. Wright said the Town had granted extension of the water and sewer to the Commissioners for the Wartsila Building on Morgnec Road. He said he had been working with Mr. Capel on getting the plans done to Town specifications. He said Mr. Capel would like then to extend one section of the sewer extension by gravity line approximately 400 feet, which was the maximum it could be extended before it starts coming out of the ground. He said that 400 ft. would cost about $28,000 more than using a small diameter force main as they would use on the other 1100 ft. down the road. He said Mr. Capel has offered to supply the pipe, which would cost about $2,000. Mr. Capel also asked State Highway to reduce the paving section on behalf of the County, but the Utilities Engineer for State Highway said they could not do that. Mr. Wright said he was asking the Mayor and Council, at Mr. Capel's suggestion, to ask their consideration on using the pump vs. the gravity portion of the sewer line.
Mayor Bailey asked if there was any drawback to using the pump. Mr. Wright said there was none and he could not see a any benefit to the Town with the gravity section. He said the property on one side was low and if they wanted to connect, they would also have to pump the waste up, and the 400 ft. will not reach to Bramble's office, they would have to pump if they were connected. Mayor Bailey asked Mr. Ingersoll what his conversation with Mr. Capel had been. Mr. Ingersoll said he discussed this with Mr. Capel and the Mayor and there were two issues: 1) we granted sewer to the County with the understanding that no one else would be allowed to hook into the line because it was for their finite public use only; and 2) if we put in 400 ft. of gravity line are we saying that we are expecting more out-of-town hookups or annexations. Mayor Bailey said in other words what the County has proposed would give them what they need for their finite use at the Wartsila Building. Mr. Ingersoll said it would be less likely for anyone to hook onto the County's 2" force main, which was sized for them only.
Mrs. Mumford-Pautz said since Mr. Capel was not present, she felt the Council should wait for Mr. Capel's return before taking any action on this request. Mr. Bristoll agreed that Mr. Capel should be asked for his concerns on this matter. Mayor Bailey said we will ask Mr. Capel to come to the Mayor and Council meeting on July 7 to discuss this matter. Mr. Wright said that would be satisfactory to him.
Mayor Bailey asked if there were any questions or comments. There being none, Mayor Bailey asked the Council to review the bills. Mr. Bristoll moved that the bills be paid as presented, was seconded by Mr. Gross and carried unanimously.
Mr. Bristoll moved that the meeting be adjourned at 7:44 p.m., was seconded by Mrs. Mumford-Pautz and carried unanimously.
Submitted by:
Joan Merryman
Stenographer
Approved by:
Margo G. Bailey
Mayor RETURN to 1998 Minutes